The present invention relates to wireless digital networks, and in particular, to the problem of balancing client load across bands in an access point in a wireless digital network.
Wireless digital networks commonly have a controller to which are attached one or more access points. Each access point supports a number of wireless clients. In most situations, each access point (AP) connects to its controller using a wired connection, for example using 803.2 Ethernet.
An access point may advertise multiple services (SSIDs) on different bands. As an example, IEEE802.11 wireless networks in the United States may operate on channels on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, advertising services to wireless clients on each band.
The resources in a access point in a single band are limited. If an access point accepts too many client connections, it may not have the resources needed to adequately service all those clients. Typically, client devices do not have a sense of the load on an individual access point, or the load on a particular band on an access point. Client devices commonly choose an access point to associate with based on reported signal strength, often choosing the access point with the strongest signal.
What is needed is a mechanism for balancing client load across different bands in a single access point.